So you’ve got yourself a snake plant. They’re a plant that is supposed to do well even when neglected. But it doesn’t always work out that way.
Sadly even these tough plants can hit a plateau in their growth. And it’s super frustrating when your plant just sits there doing absolutely nothing.
My first snake plant barely grew an inch in two years. I was convinced there was something majorly wrong with it. It turns out I was the problem not the plant!
So if your snake plant seems stuck there’s usually a good reason for it. I’ll take you through the most common causes and how to get your plant back growing again.
1. Too Much Water
The number one snake plant killer? Overwatering. Hands down.
Snake plants are succulents. That means they store water in their leaves and actually like their soil to dry out between waterings.
But so many of us treat them like regular houseplants. We see dry soil and go straight for the watering can. Which is usually a mistake.
When you overwater a snake plant the roots end up sitting in waterlogged soil and start to rot. Root rot stops the plant from taking up water and nutrients, which results in a lack of growth. In bad cases your snake plant will get yellow leaves that eventually turn brown and die.
How to fix it:
- Water your snake plant only when the soil is completely dry
- In winter you might only need to water it once a month
- During the spring and summer once every 2 to 3 weeks is usually enough
- Always check the soil to make sure it’s dry. It you’re not sure then don’t water!
- Use a pot with drainage hole
I’ve learned to lift my snake plant pots to feel their weight. A light pot means it’s time to water. A heavy pot means the soil is still wet.
2. Feeding
Snake plants do need some nutrients to grow, even if not a lot. Many people assume that because they’re “low maintenance,” they don’t need fertilizer at all.
But the potting soil eventually loses its nutrients. And if your snake plant has been in the same pot with the same soil for years it probably needs some help.
A snake plant that doesn’t have enough nutrients won’t die dramatically but it will stop growing. The plant will be alive but just not doing well.
How to fix it:
- Fertilize during the spring and summer with a balanced houseplant fertilizer
- Dilute the fertilizer to half the recommended strength
- Use it every 4 to 6 weeks in the spring and summer
- Don’t fertilize in the fall or winter
- Repot with fresh soil every 2 to 3 years
I accidentally overfertilized my snake plant once and it got these weird brown spots all over. So try to remember that less is more when it comes to fertilizing snake plants.
3. It’s Potbound (Or Has Too Much Space)
Snake plants actually like being a little rootbound. But if they’re very rootbound they’ll struggle to grow.
Also if you put a small snake plant in a massive pot it won’t work out either. When a pot is too large the soil stays wet for too long and the plant uses it’s energy trying to grow more roots instead of growing leaves.
How to fix it:
- Repot it when you see the roots growing out of drainage holes
- Choose a pot that’s only 1 to 2 inches bigger than the current one
- Fresh soil is important but don’t go mad with the pot size
- Snake plants grow fastest when slightly rootbound but they don’t like being very cramped
- Repotting is best done in spring when the plant is growing
When I finally repotted my snake plant that had slowed it grew three new leaves within a month. It was clearly ready for some more room.
4. Wrong Light Levels
Another myth about snake plants is that they’ll grow anywhere. While they’ll survive in low light they won’t grow well.
As they’re native to Africa they would have received dappled sunlight. In our homes they grow best with bright, indirect light. Too little light and the growth really slows down. Too much direct light and their leaves can actually burn.
How to fix it:
- Put your snake plant near a window with bright, indirect light
- They don’t mind some morning direct sun but afternoon sun will be too much
- If your snake plant is in a dark spot move it to a brighter place for a few weeks to help with its growth
- You can tell it’s getting too much light if the leaves get pale spots or brown edges
- In very low light your snake plant may survive for years but will grow extremely slowly
I had a snake plant in my bathroom with just a tiny window for years. It didn’t die but it grew maybe half an inch a year. When I moved it to my east facing bedroom it grew 4 inches in a single season!
5. It’s Too Cold
As they’re tropical plants snake plants hate the cold. They like temperatures between 65 to 85°F (18 to 29°C).
If your snake plant is somewhere that regularly gets below 50°F (10°C), its growth will slow considerably or stop completely. In the extreme cold the plant can get damaged and will show up black spots or spongy patches.
This is extra important in the winter when we might turn the heat down at night or have windows with drafts.
How to fix it:
- Keep your snake plant away from doors and windows that have drafts, especially in the winter
- Don’t put it near air conditioning vents in the summer
- If you keep your house cool in the winter move the plant to a warmer spot
- Never leave your snake plant outside if temperatures might drop below 50°F (10°C)
- Remember that windowsills can be much colder than the rest of the room
6. Pest Problems
Snake plants are more resistant to pests than mos houseplants that doesn’t mean they’re completely safe. And a pest infestation can definitely stop growth.
The most common pests are mealybugs and spider mites. Both will suck the sap from the plant and stop new growth.
How to fix it:
- Regularly look at your plant on both sides of the leaves
- Wipe the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol
- For bigger problems spray them with insecticidal soap or neem oil
- Isolate any infected plants to so they don’t spread
- Wipe leaves with a damp cloth every few months to remove dust that attracts pests
7. The Wrong Soil
Snake plants need soil that drains well. Id you use regular houseplant potting mix they often stay too wet, which leads to root rot and bad growth.
How to fix it:
- Use a succulent or cactus potting mix. Or…
- Make your own mix with 2 parts regular potting soil, 1 part perlite and 1 part sand
- Don’t use soil that has crystals or lots of peat
- When you repot it shake off as much of the old soil as you can without damaging the roots
- Put some small pebbles at the bottom of the pot to help with drainage
In the past I switched from regular potting soil to a cactus mix and my snake plant grew faster and better. The roots were visibly healthier when I eventually repotted it too.
8. Your Snake Plant Variety Is Naturally Slow
Not all snake plants grow at the same speed. Some varieties are just naturally slower growing than others. And that could be yours.
For example, the ‘Laurentii’ variety (the one with yellow edges) grows fairly quickly with the right conditions. But the African spear plant grows much more slowly.
How to fix it:
- Research the variety of your snake plant to understand how it grows
- Smaller varieties naturally grow more slowly
- Variegated ones (with colored edges or stripes) usually grow slower than the solid green ones
- Even fast growing varieties will only grow a few new leaves every year
9. Your Snake Plant Is Just Taking A Break
Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with your plant at all. Snake plants, like most houseplants, have natural cycles in their growth. They will grow more in the spring and summer then take a break in the fall and winter.
During these periods where they’re dormant you might not see any new growth for months and that’s perfectly normal.
If your plant looks healthy otherwise (no yellowing, has firm leaves etc), it might just be resting between these periods.
How to fix it:
- Understand that no growth in winter is normal
- Don’t water as much during the dormant periods
- Be patient – sometimes snake plants focus on growing their roots before new leaves
- Take photos every few months to track slow growth you might not notice on a day to day basis
I once thought my snake plant had stopped growing entirely. Later on I found an old photo from 6 months earlier and realized it had actually grown several inches. Growth can be so slow that we don’t notice it happening.
FAQ About Snake Plant Growth Issues
How fast should a snake plant grow?
Even under the perfect conditions don’t expect your snake plant to grow super fast. Most varieties produce 2 to 4 new leaves every year during the growing season. A healthy mature plant might grow 1 to 3 inches taller per year. That’s it. Anyone promising faster growth is probably exaggerating.
Should I cut off damaged snake plant leaves?
Yes, but only if they’re really damaged. If a leaf has minor damage the plant will waste energy trying to heal it. But if a leaf is spongy, very yellow or flopping over, cut it off at the base. The plant will then send that energy to new growth.
My snake plant hasn’t grown in a year. Should I throw it out?
Definitely not! A year without any growth doesn’t mean your plant is dying. Check everything mentioned above, make some changes and then be patient. Some of my slowest snake plants eventually became fast growers once I figured out what they needed.
Can snake plants recover from overwatering?
Yes, if caught early. If you think it might be down to overwatering then stop watering right away and move the plant to somewhere that gets brighter light. If the leaves are very mushy you might need to remove the plant, cut away the rotted roots, and repot it. Let it recover for a week before watering again.
Do snake plants need bigger pots to grow taller?
Not necessarily. Snake plants can grow very tall even in relatively small pots. In fact being slightly rootbound often helps them to grow more leaves. Only repot when the plant is extremely rootbound.
Will my snake plant ever flower?
Snake plants can flower, but it’s rare indoors. They usually only flower when they’re mature (8+ years old) and slightly stressed. If I’m completely honest though they’re not that impressive flowers! So I wouldn’t worry too much if yours doesn’t ever flower.
Final Thoughts
Try to remember that snake plants grow slowly by nature. Even with perfect care you’re not going to see massive changes overnight.
With snake plants it’s all about finding the right balance. Not too much water, not too much fertilizer, not too much care in general. Make any changes one at a time and give your plant a few weeks to respond before changing something else.
And sometimes the best thing you can do for a struggling snake plant is just leaves it alone for a while. Carry on with minimal care and let the plant figure itself out.
And lastly – don’t get discouraged. The fact that you’re researching why your snake plant isn’t growing shows you’re on the right track. Just a few changes to how your caring for it and it’ll be giving you new leaves before you know it.